78 



COLLECTING. 



Much of the botanical collecting is done by natives. For preserving 

 alcoholic material in the fi^ld, a zinc box 47 by 34 by 30 cm., tightly fitted 

 into a stout wooden chest, with suitable handles, hinged cover, and proper 

 fastener, is used. The cover of the zinc box is in one piece, entirely re- 

 movable, and when not in use this box is hermetically sealed with paraf- 

 fin or other suitable material of a similar nature. In preserving alco- 

 holic material there is first placed in the box a layer of cotton, common 

 "capok" fiber (from Ceiha pentandra Gaertn), or other absorbent ma- 

 terial, which is saturated with alcohol. On this are placed the paper 

 packets containing the fruits or flowers to be preserved, each with its dis- 

 tinctive label and number. Another layer of cotton is then placed over 

 them, then another layer of fruit, etc. The cotton is kept only saturated 

 or partially saturated with alcohol. This manner of preserving is entirely 

 satisfactory and far more convenient than the usual method of preserving 

 in alcohol. Usually two or more collecting cases are taken, one for very 

 fleshy fruits that would crush easily, and one for the more solid varieties. 



For transporting dryer papers, species sheets, etc., tin boxes fitted into 

 suitable stout wooden chests are used. These tin boxes are 66 cm. long, 

 42 cm. wide, and 28 cm. high, and each will accommodate two stacks of 

 the ordinary Chinese drying paper. In these boxes the driers and presses 

 are placed at night, when the atmosphere is saturated with moisture, or 

 during a rain. This protection of the drying paper is quite essential for 

 the preparation and preservation of good botanical material under trop- 

 ical conditions, as the drying paper and specimens very readily absorb at- 

 mospheric moisture. 



Primarily, the 's Lands Plantentuin was a botanical garden pure and 

 simple; and in its early history, although some attention was given to 

 the introduction, cultivation, and dissemination of plants of economic 

 value from other countries, its chief object was the study of systematic 

 botany. As was the case with the many botanical gardens established by 

 the English in the Tropics, this institution, as the flora of the country was 

 worked up, gradually increased its work on economic lines, vmtil to-day, 

 although much attention is given to systematic botany, morphology, em- 

 bryology, ecology, etc., the greater part of the work done is of an economic 

 nature : the establishment, development, and maintenance of the botan- 

 ical garden being simply a means to an end, namely, the application of 

 science to the economic agricultural questions of the day. 



The great advantage of having practically all the investigations in 

 agriculture, botany, chemistry, and allied sciences conducted by one insti- 

 tution, thereby avoiding the necessity of duplicating libraries, laborato- 

 ries, and laboratory equipment, and obtaining the greatest results with 

 the least expenditure of money, is at once apparent. 



